Golf putter and a foldable sighting element secured to the shaft thereof by y-shapedmagnet means



Aug. 3, 1965 H. w. SMITH 3, 2

GOLF PUTTER AND A FOLDABLE SIGHTING ELEMENT SECURED TO THE SHAFT THEREOF BY Y-SHAPED MAGNET MEANS Filed July 25, 1962 INVENTOR. HQQQLD m 644/ TH United States Patent GGLF PUTTER AND A FQLDABLE SIGHI'HNG ELE- MENT SECURED T0 THE SHAFT THEREtBF BY Y-SHAPED MAGNET MEANS Harold W. Smith, 2449 Ridgeway Road, San Marino, (lalif. Filed July 23, 1962, Ser. No. 211,614 3 Claims. (Cl. 273-163) This invention relates generally to golf equipment, and more particularly concerns a novel and highly useful indicator unit for combination with [a golf putter in such manner as to establish a line of sight in order that the player may more accurately direct the golf ball travel.

The difficulties or" putting a golf ball with precision and directional accuracy are well-known. Players will often, prior to putting, stand behind the ball in order to establish a line of sight with the hole in the green. They will then stand above the ball attempting to swing or move the putter in a direction conforming as closely a possible to the previously established line of sight; however, a slight defection of the putter during the back swing and from the true direction will result in misaligned travel of the ball relative to the hole, and very often it is difiicult to avoid slight deviations in the putter back swing, for one reason or another.

The present invention contemplates a novel solution to the aforementioned problem through the provision of a putting directional indicator unit providing a line of sight element which cooperates with the putter in such a way that the player may stand above the putter and still establish a line of sight which he otherwise would normally attempt to establish by first standing behind the ball. When the player is in putting position, the putter shank extends upright and the putting head extends generally or normally at the lower terminal of the shank. In one of its forms, the putting directional indicator unit has a rod-like line of sight element together with means for removably attaching the unit to the putter so that the element establishes a line of sight axis at the upper side of the head and extending substantially normal to a plane defined by the front putting face of the head. Such means includes an arm extending downwardly relative to the shank and near the head, the lower portion of the arm carrying the rod-like directional element, and the upper terminal of the arm carrying a clamp attaching to the shank. The clamp includes a forked holder and magnetic means carried to be exposed at the inside of the holder for attaching magnetically about the putter steel shank as will be described. The element preferably, but not necessarily, is carried to pivot between an extended position to establish the line of sight, and a collapsed position alongside the arm, this construction having the advantage that the putter shank may'then be inserted in the golf bag without interference between the indicator element and other clubs.

In another highly desirable form the invention comtemplates the provision of a directional indicator element which includes a reflecting surface extendin at an approximately 45 angle with respect to the plane defined by the putting face of the head and horizontal. When the mirror or reflector is properly positioned the player upon looking downwardly into the mirror will be able to see forwardly from the head and thus will be able to align or establish a desired putting direction. For better observation, the invention contemplates the provision of an enclosure containing the mirror surface and having a front opening for passing line of sight light and an upper opening for passing such light reflected by the mirror. A hair line on the mirror may be used to establish putting line direction.

Other objects and advantages of the invention include novel details of construction of the directional indicator devices to be described. In this regard, a further desirable form of the invention includes a rod-like sighting element together with means magnetically attaching to the rear side of the head in order to carry the sighting element above and over the head substantially normal to a plane defined by the putting face of the head.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention, a Well as the details of illustrative embodiments, will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of the drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective showing of a putter with the directional indicator unit attached; 4

FIG. 2 is an end view 'of the FIG. 1 putter head and indicator unit; I

FIG. 3 is an end view of a modified indicator unit attached to a putter;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of another modified directional indicator attaching to a putter shank;

FIG. 5 is a perspective View of still another modified indicator unit;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged end view of the FIG. 5 unit, with the unit shown in section.

Referring first to FIGS. 1 and Z, a golf putter is indicated at it as including a shank ll, handle 12, and a putting head 13 at the lower terminal of the shank. A putting directional indicator unit is shown generally at 14 as having a line of sight element taking the form of a rod 35. The latter is carried by the lower portion of the means for removably attaching the unit 14 to the putter shank 11. Such means may include an arm 16 extending downwardly to a point over the putter head 13, and a clamp 17 at the upper terminal of the arm for attaching to the putter shank.

Typically, the clamp includes a forked holder 18 which may be mechanically attached or spring loaded to snap onto the shank. As an alternative, the holder 18 may carry magnets 19 with divergent faces exposed at the inside of the holder for attaching magnetically about the putter steel shank 11 as shown in FIG. 4.

The rod 15 is held in position to establish a line of sight extending in a plane substantially normal to a plane defined by the putting face 20 of the head 13 as better seen in FIG. 2. Accordingly, the rod points in the desired putting direction as shown by the arrow in 21 in FIG. 1, which may or may not extend directly toward the hole 22 in the green, depending upon the slope of the green between the ball and the hole. In any event, the rod establishes a line of sight corresponding to the desired initial direction of travel of the ball as it is stroked.

FIG. 2 also shows the ball 23 directly under the forward portion of the rod 15, the latter having a rearward portion extending above the space directly to the rear of the head 13. In addition, the arm 16, is shown to be suitably attached as by a fastener 56 to the clamp 17.

Referring to FIG. 3 the rod 24 therein shown extends directly above the ball 23 at the forward side of the head 13, and the rod also establishes a line of sight axis at the upper side of the head and extending substantially normal to a plane defined by the front putting face 20 of the head. The means for removably attaching the unit to the putter includes a magnetic body 25 shown as being held by magnetic attraction to the rear side 26 of the head, the rod 24 having a bend 27 extending vertically downward to the magnetic body 25.

FIG. 4 shows the arm 28 as supporting the direction rod 29 for pivoting between an extended position as shown in solid lines, and a collapsed position shown at 30 in broken lines generally alongside the arm 28. In addition, the arm 28 may itself be pivoting as shown at 31 so as to be folded upward alongside the shank 11 of the club when not in use. The pivot for the direction rod 29 is generally shown at 32. Thus, the rod may be collapsed alongside the arm 28, and the arm may be collapsed alongside the shank 11, whereby the putter may be replaced into the golf bag without material interference with other clubs or the bag itself. This is a particular advantage where the clamp may hold the arm to the shank in such manner as to require considerable manipulation for removal therefrom.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show another form of the invention wherein the line of sight element generally indicated at 33 includes a mirror surface 34 extending at such angularity with respect to horizontal 36 and the plane defined by the putting face of the head as to establish an upwardly reflected line of sight corresponding to the direction of initial travel of the ball when stroked by the putter. For example, the surface 34 may extend at an approximately 45 angle with respect to horizontal and said plane as shown in FIG. 6, whereby the line of sight 36 is reflected upwardly to the eye of the player along the vertical line indicated at 37. Thus, the player may stand above the ball, place his putter head behind the ball as shown, and look downwardly along the line 37 in order to see forwardly along the line 36, which may or may not be directed to the hole in the green, depending upon the slope thereof as compensated for by the player. Having established the line of sight as desired, he may slowly move the putter head rearwardly in such relation as to keep the line of sight 36 in view by looking downwardly at the mirror surface 34, assuring that the putter is being swung or moved correctly.

For purposes of better viewing, the mirror is contained with an enclosure 38 having a front opening 39 for passing line of sight light, and an upper opening 40 for passing line of sight light reflected upwardly by the mirror to the eye of the player. The mirror may have a directional line across its face to establish the putting line desired. In each of FIGS. 5 and 6, the means for removably attaching the unit to the putter is shown to include an arm 41 supporting'the enclosure 38 at the lower terminal of the arm, as well as a clamp device 42 for removably attaching the unit 11 to the shank of the putter.

I claim:

1. For combination with a golf putter having an upright steel shank and a putting head at the lower terminal of the shank, at putting directional indicator unit having a rod-like line of sight element and means for removably attaching said unit to the putter so that said element establishes a line of sight axis at the upper side of the head and extending substantially normal to a plane defined by the front putting face of the head, said means including a Y-forked holder having upright magnet portions carried to have divergent faces exposed at the inside of the fork legs and sized for attaching magnetically to and about different diameter steel putter shanks received between the fork legs, an arm carried by and projecting away from the Y-forked holder to carry said element spaced from the shank, and a pivot connecting said arm to said holder and having a generally horizontal axis to allow up and down swinging of the arm and element relative to said holder.

2. The putting directional director unit as defined .in claim 1 including a pivot connecting said element to said arm to allow folding of the element alongside the arm.

3. In combination with a golf putter having an upright steel shank and a putting head at the lower terminal of the shank, a putting directional indicator unit having a rod-like line of sight element and means for removably attaching said unit to the putter so that said element establishes a line of sight axis at the upper side of the head and extending substantially normal to a plane defined by the front putting face of the head, said means including the Y-forked holder having upright magnet portions carried to have divergent faces exposed at the inside of the fork legs and sized for attaching magnetically to and about different diameter steel putter shanks received between the fork legs, an arm carried by and projecting away from the Y-forked holder to carry said element spaced from the shank, and a pivot connecting said arm to said holder and having a generally horizontal axis to allow up and down swinging of the arm and element relative to said holder.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,192,569 3/40 Williams 248-206 2,506,400 5/50 Wietz 248206 2,670,209 2/54 Fay 273163 2,822,614 2/58 Susinno 172163 X 2,881,001 4/59 Chisholm et al. 46241 X 2,898,109 8/59 Williams a- 273163 2,923,552 2/60 Sundberg 273 -163 2,977,082 3/61 Harris 248206 3,033,574 5/62 Partridge 273163 FOREIGN PATENTS 14,608 1904 Great Britain.

25,146 1904 Great Britain.

16,834 1906 Great Britain.

DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner.

EVON BLUNK, Examiner. 

3. IN COMBINATION WITH A GOLF PUTTER HAVING AN UPRIGHT STEEL SHANK AND A PUTTING HEAD AT THE LOWER TERMINAL OF THE SHANK, A PUTTING DIRECTIONAL INDICATOR UNIT HAVING A ROD-LIKE LINE OF SIGHT ELEMENT AND MEANS FOR REMOVABLY ATTACHING SAID UNIT TO THE PUTTER SO THAT SAID ELEMENT ESTABLISHES A LINE OF SIGHT AXIS AT THE UPPER SIDE OF THE HEAD AND EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY NORMAL TO A PLANE DEFINED BY THE FRONT PUTTING FACE OF THE HEAD, SAID MEANS INCLUDING THE Y-FORKED HOLDER HAVING UPRIGHT MAGNET PORTIONS CARRIED TO HAVE DIVERGENT FACES EXPOSED AT THE INSIDE OF THE FORK LEGS AND SIZED FOR ATTACHING MAGNETICALLY TO AND ABOUT DIFFERENT DIAMETER STEEL PUTTER SHANKS RECEIVED BETWEEN THE FORK LEGS, AN ARM CARRIED BY AND PROJECTING AWAY FROM THE Y-FORKED HOLDER TO CARRY SAID ELEMENT SPACED FROM THE SHANK, AND A PIVOT CONNECTING SAID ARM TO SAID HOLDER AND HAVING A GENERALLY HORIZONTAL AXIS TO ALLOW UP AND DOWN SWINGING OF THE ARM AND ELEMENT RELATIVE TO SAID HOLDER. 